Device for removing water from musical instruments of the horn type



Sept. 16, 1930. STEWART 1,775,788

DEVICE FOR REMOVING WATER FROM MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE HORN TYPE Filed Jan. 25, 1928 /NVEN 70R w 'llll((&k flan]? 6'. 5121 1 01? i my, 4 Gib/c3) Patented Sept. 16, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK G. STEWART, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON DEVICE FOR REMOVING WATER FROM MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE HORN TYPE Application. filed January 23, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in device for removing water from horn type musical instruments and the object of my invention is to provide simple efficient and 6 easily operated suction means for removing the water that collects in cornets, trombones, trumpets and similar horn type instruments without interrupting the playing of the instrument and without danger of spilling the water.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this nature that may readily be applied to musical instruments of standard construction without alteration of the instrument,

.15 and, that is neat and ornamental in appear ance, and that harmonizes generally with the configuration of the instrument.

Musical instruments of the horn type which are played by blowing into them with the mouth always collect saliva and condensed moisture from the breath when they are in use. This water collects in the lowermost bends. of the instrument tubes and will impair the tone of the instrument if it is 35 not removed at frequent intervals. To permit removal of this water the instrument tubes are provided with, usually one, water outlet opening which is covered with a spring pressed cap that is substantially air tight and'water tight and is adapted to be opened manually at frequent intervals to permit the instrument to be blown or drained out. It is the common practice of players of this class of instruments to blow this Water out with little attention where it falls, the water often spilling on floors, furniture and rugs and on the clothes of the players. This practice is unsanitary, destructive and inconvenient for the player.

or suction device that may be attached to the instrument and may bequickly and easily operated at frequent intervals to draw oil' the water without spilling the same, said vacuum device also forming a water storage receptacle of sufiicient size to hold the water for a comparatively long time, thereby making it possible for a player to play entirely through the longest pieces, or until a convenient intermission occurs to give him 0p- It is the object 40 of my present invention to provide a vacuum Serial No. 248,771.

portunity to open and carefully empty the I receptacle formed by the vacuum device, thus enabling the player to dispose of the water in a sanitary manner without spilling the same over his clothes or over floors, rugs remover and receptacle constructed in accordanc with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal mid section of the same showing a fragment of the instrument. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale of the end of the moisture remover that is attached to the instrument, the same being hereinafter termed the outer end. Fig. 5, is a detached plan view of a valve disc embodied in the invention.

Figs. .6 and 7 are sectional views on broken lines 66 and 77 respectively of Fig. 3. Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings 10 designates a. horn type musical instrument, 11 a turning slide forming a partof the instrument and 12 a conical tubular drain tip of the usual well known form that is provided to afford an outlet formoisture. The drain tip 12 ordinarily has an air and water tight cap,-

not shown, that is hinged to lugs 13 on the tuning slide and adapted to be opened manually to permit the moisture to discharge into the open through the tip 12. All of the above described parts are of well known constructionand are found in various forms in substantially all of the so called wind instruments.

My present invention embodies a tube or cylinder 14 of substantial length and preferof said parts being of thin spring metal. A

bular conduit fitting 17 communicates with the passageway 16 and extends upwardly from the cap 15. The conduit 17 has an enlarged upper end 18 provided with an expanding recess, preferably having a packing 20 therein that is adapted to fit over thedischarge tip 12, which tip is apart of the standard construction of the instrument. Three elements are provided for attaching the cylinder 14 to the instrument, namely, a link 21, a clamp bracket 22 and a two part adjustable stop or gauge 2324. One part, 24, of the stop is rigid with the cylinder 14 while the other part 23 is adjustably'secured to the part 24 by slot and bolt means 25 and rests against the adjacent horn tub-e 11. The clamp bracket 22 passes through a clip 26 thence up over the horn tube 11 and is secured at the upper end by a thumb screw 27. This clamp bracket may be removed from the clip 26 and replaced by a bracket of different size to fit aninstrument of different dimensions. The link 21 is connected by a pivot 28 with the lugs 13, and, toward its lower end said link is slotted as at30 and passes between two lugs 31 on the end of the cap 15 and is adjustably secured to said lugs by a thumb screw 32. The slot 30 of the link 21 makes it possible to adjust the effective length of said link to fit different instruments and the link will swing freely to permit longitudinal adjustment of the cylinder and allow correct registration a of the conduit tube 17 with the moisture discharge tip 12. Joint adjustment of the link 21 and stop members 2324 makesit possible to place the cylinder 14 parallel with the adjacent tube of the instrument and at the same time to press the packing 20 securely against the discharge tip 12 insuring a water tight and an air tight joint. 'The'clamp bracket '22 secures the cylinder firmly in place after it has been properly adjusted.

be in the form of a fiat valve disc 33 connected by resilient, curved arms 34 with a rim35 all piston, preferably formed of a cup leather '36 secured by two metal discs 37 and 38 and a'nut 39 to a piston rod 40 is reciprocably disposed within the cylinder 14. The piston rod extends lengthwise of the cylinder and projects through an outer end cap 41 that is threaded onto the inner end of said cylinder scope and spirit of the following claims.

and that may be unscrewed and removed to permit the cylinder to be emptied. .Acompression spring 42 urges the piston rod into the cylinder, a packing 43 prevents leakage through the cap 41. A small air vent 44 is provided on the top side of the cylinder 14 adjacent the cap 41. The water in the cylinder seldom submerges this vent 44 and consequently there will be substantially no discharge therefrom. A finger hold 45 is secured to the end of the piston rod 40 for reciprocating the same.

In the operation of this device, the spring 42 normally urgesthe piston and piston rod toward the cap 15, into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position, the end ofthe piston rod 40 is pressed against the valve disc 33 holding said valve disc securely closed and insuring a positive air seal. When the parts are in this position the passageways f. 16 and 17 form a small temporary reservoir within which water may collect. To remove the water from this small temporar reservoir the player catches the finger piece45, draws the piston forwardly a short distance as shown in Fig. 4,'thus drawing the water, by suction, out of the temporaryreservoir formed by passageways 16 and 17 and pastthe check valve 33. The player then releases the piston rod permitting the spring 42 to return the piston and rod to the initial position. Back flow of the'water is prevented by by the valve 33 and the water is caused to flow past the cup leather 36 as the same moves toward the cap 15. The" forward movement of the piston may be repeated two or three timesif desired to be sure all water is drawn past the check valve 33. After the water has been forced past the cup leather 36 it can not return and after a considerable amount of water has been collected in the cylinder 14 the outer end cap 41 may be removed and the water emptied.

The foregoing description and accompany ing drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illus- V trative and that such changes in the inventio-nmay be made as are fairly withinthe I claim: v p I 1. The combination with a horn type musical instrument, of a suction device'for removing moisture from the tubes of said instrument.

2. The combination with a horn type mu- 7 sical instrument having a'moisture discharge opening therein of combined suction and moisture storage means connected with said moisture discharge opening.

3. The combination with horn type musical instrument having the usual moisture outlet opening, of vacuum pump means-com nected with said outlet opening for drawing off and storing the moisture that collects within the tubes of the instrument.

4:. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having the usual moisture outlet opening, of vacuum pump means connected with said moisture outlet opening and a check valve for preventing the return of moisture to the instrument.

5. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes in which water is adapted to collect and having a drain opening in said tubes, of a vacuum. pump embodying a pump cylinder secured to the instrument and extending parallel with the tubes of the same, conduit means connecting the vacuum pump with the drain opening whereby water may be drawn out of the tubes, and a check valve preventing the return of water to the tubes.

6. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes in which moisture is adapted to collect and having a drain opening in said tubes, of a vacuum pump embodying a pump cylinder secured to the instrument, a piston reciprocable in said pump cylinder, conduit means connecting the vacuum pump with the drain opening whereby moisture may be drawn out of the tubes, and a check valve interposed between the tubes and the piston for preventing return of moisture to the tubes.

7. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes provided with a drainage tip affording an opening, of a vacuum pump cylinder, a cap on the rear end of said cylinder, said cap having an opening from the cylinder to the exterior of the cap, a check valve for passing fluid through said opening into said cylinder and for closing said opening against discharge from the cylinder, a tubular fitting arranged to form a conduit from the drainage tip to the opening in the cap, means connecting the cylinder with the instrument, a piston within the cylinder for exerting a suction in the rear end of the same, a rod on the piston extending outwardly from the front end of the cylinder and a removable cap on the forward end of the cylinder.

8. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes provided with a drainage tip affording an opening, of vacuum pump cylinder, a cap on the rear end of said cylinder, said cap having an opening from the cylinder to the exterior of the cap, a check valve for passing fluid through said opening into said cylinder and for closing said opening against discharge from the cylinder, a tubular fitting arranged to form a conduit from the drainage tip to the opening in the cap, adjustable means for securing the cylinder to the musical instrument, a piston within the cylinder and having a cu leather with its concave side directed away rom said rear cap, a removable cap on the front end of said cylinder, a piston rod secured to the piston and extending outwardly through the removable cap, finger hold means on the piston rod external to the cylinder and resilient means urging the piston to the innermost limit of its movement.

9. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes provided with a drainage tip aflording an opening, of pivot lugs on the tubes near said tip, of a vacuum pump cylinder, a cap on the rear end of said cylinder and provided with a passageway from the cylinder to the exterior of the cap, a check valve for closing said opening against discharge from the cylinder, a tubular fitting arranged to form a conduit from the drainage tip to the passageway in the ca a link connecting said cap with the pivot ugs on the instrument, a bracket clip connecting the cylinder with a tube of the instrument, an adjustable stop carried by the cylinder for engaging the instrument tube, a piston within the cylinder for exerting a suction in the rear end of the same, a rod on the piston extending outwardly from the front end of the cylinder and a removable cap on the forward end of the cylinder.

10. The combination with ahorn type musical instrument having the usual moisture outlet opening, of a pump cylinder secured to the instrument and communicatin at one end with the moisture outlet opening, the other end of the cylinder forming a moisture storage receptacle, a piston reciprocable in the pump cylinder for exerting a suction through the moisture outlet opening, and manually controlled means for allowing moisture to discharge from the cylinder at the end opposite to the one that is connected with the moisture outlet opening of the in strument.

11. The combination with a horn type musical instrument having tubes provided with a drainage tip affording an opening of a pump cylinder, conduit means connected with the pump cylinder and adapted to fit over the drainage tip and adjustable means for securing said cylinder to said one of said tubes substantially parallel to the same said securing means serving to draw said conduit means tightly against said drainage tip.

The foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Wash., this 11th day of Jan, 1928.

. FRANK G. STEWART. 

